Weekend predictions

Five big games, 1 easy prediction (All Blacks), 2 moderate (Sharks, Bulls), and 2 very tricky (Boks and Cheetahs) …

Saturday 08 September

09:35 New Zealand vs Argentina, Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistants: George Clancy (Ireland), James Leckie (Australia)
TMO: Vinny Munro (New Zealand)

HEAD TO HEAD:
Played 14: New Zealand 13, Argentina 0, Drawn 1
Last match: New Zealand 33 – 10 Argentina @ Eden Park, Auckland (RWC 2011)

Point’s aggregate: New Zealand 618, Argentina 190 (44-14 aggregate)
Tries aggregate: New Zealand 82, Argentina 16 (6-1)

New Zealand record at Westpac Stadium: Played 16, Won 14, Lost 2
New Zealand record at home: Played 240, Won 197, Lost 37, Drawn 6

Sporting bet will give you 33/1 on the Argies and only 1/66 on the Kiwis! Not looking good for Los Pumas is it? … I smell blood, even without Dan Carter. Welcome to the real world perhaps?

My prediction:  All Blacks by 32

New Zealand: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (captain), 6 Victor Vito, 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Bench: 16 Andrew Hore, 17 Charlie Faumuina, 18 Sam Whitelock, 19 Liam Messam, 20 Piri Weepu, 21 Beauden Barrett, 22 Ben Smith

Argentina: 15 Martin Rodriguez, 14 Gonzalo Camacho, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Santiago Fernandez, 11 Horacio Agulla, 10 Juan Martin Hernandez, 9 Nicolas Vergallo, 8 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe (captain), 7 Juan Manuel Leguizamon, 6 Julio Farias Cabello, 5 Patricio Albacete, 4 Manuel Carizza, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Eusebio Guinazu, 1 Rodrigo Roncero.
Bench: 16 Agustin Creevy, 17 Marcos Ayerza, 18 Juan Pablo Orlandi, 19 Leonardo Senatore, 20 Thomas Leonardi, 21 Martin Landajo, 22 Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino

12:35 Australia vs South Africa, Patersons Stadium, Perth
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistants: Wayne Barnes (England), Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
TMO: Matt Goddard (Australia)

HEAD TO HEAD:
Played 74: Australia 32, South Africa 41, Drawn 1
Last match: Australia 11 – 9 South Africa @ Westpac Stadium, Wellington (RWC 2011)

Australia record at Paterson’s Stadium: Played 11, Won 7, Lost 3, Drawn 1
Australia record at home: Played 249, Won 152, Lost 90, Drawn 7

South Africa record at Paterson’s Stadium: Played 6, Won 3, Lost 2, Drawn 1
South African record away from home: Played 190, Won 108, Lost 74, Drawn 8

Point’s aggregate: Australia 1303, South Africa 1385 (18-19)
Tries aggregate: Australia 135, South Africa 165 (2-2)

Sportingbet will give you 8/11 on the Aussies and 11/8 on the Boks … The Wallabies have had a tough start to their 4 Nations, taking on the Kiwis in their first 2 games , and losing two captains (James Horwill and David Pocock), and key players like James O’Connor, Wycliff Palu and Pat McCabe to injury. And sure they have been smashed by the All Blacks, but those fellows in Black are a bloody good side … This while the Boks have also had their fair share of injuries, but a relatively easy entry into the tournament via games against the newboys, Argentina – tests they did not pass with flying colours. There is definitely better balance to this Bok side, but there has to be a little doubt re the fitness of newboys Vermeulen and Goosen, Louw has not trained with the Boks since the RWC, and unbelievably, Zane remains fullback ahead of Lambie. No Pocock for the Aussies, but Hooper was just incredible for the Brumbies. Nice test awaiting Coetzee … Tight, I reckon – very tight. Could go either way, so going with the home side, by a grasshopper’s hamstring!

My prediction: Australia by 2

Australia: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 Dominic Shipperley, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Berrick Barnes, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia (captain), 8 Radike Samo, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Dave Dennis, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 Sitaleki Timani, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Tatafu Polota Nau, 1 Benn Robinson
Bench: 16 Saia Fainga’a, 17 James Slipper, 18 Scott Higginbotham, 19 Liam Gill, 20 Nick Phipps, 21 Mike Harris, 22 Anthony Fainga’a

Springboks: 15. Zane Kirchner, 14 Bryan Habana, 13 Jean de Villiers (captain), 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Francois Hougaard, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Juandre Kruger, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Beast Mtawarira.
Bench: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg, 17 Pat Cilliers, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Francois Louw, 20 Johan Goosen, 21 Patrick Lambie, 22 Lwazi Mvovo

 
15:00 Griquas vs Sharks, GWK Park, Kimberley
Referee: Lesego Legoete
Assistants: Jaco Peyper, Francois de Bruin
TMO: Shaun Veldsman
Last meeting: 23 September 2011 in Durban: Sharks won 29-18

Sportingbet will give you 9/4 on Griquas and 4/9 on the Sharks You just never bloody know with these men from the land of the groot gat, especially at home … The Lions were easy pickings for them last week, while the Sharks had to pull out all the stops against the Cheetahs. Going with the “one good game, one bad game” theory for Griquas. Sharks loose trio also pure class …
My prediction:  Sharks by 5

Griquas: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Luzuko Vulindlu, 13 Jean Stemmet, 12 Walter Venter, 11 Rocco Jansen, 10 Francois Brummer, 9 Marnus Hugo, 8 Leon Karemaker, 7 Wesley Wilkins, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Martin Muller, 4 Ligtoring Landman, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Ryno Barnes (captain), 1 Steph Roberts
Bench: 16 Simon Westraadt, 17 Ivann Espag, 18 Frikkie Spies, 19 Justin Downey, 20 Jacques Coetzee, 21 Marnitz Boshoff, 22 Richard Lawson

Sharks: 15 Louis Ludik, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Paul Jordaan, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 S’bura Sithole, 10 Riaan Viljoen, 9 Charl McLeod, 8 Keegan Daniel, 7 Jean Deysel (captain), 6 Jacques Botes, 5 Anton Bresler, 4 Jandre Marais, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Monde Hadebe, 1 Dale Chadwick.
Bench: 16 Pieter Dixon, 17 Julian Redelinghuys, 18 Peet Marais, 19 Francois Kleinhans, 20 Brynard Stander, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Marius Joubert.
 
 
17:05 Blue Bulls vs Golden Lions, Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Referee: Jason Jaftha
Assistants: Marius Jonker, Stefan Breytenbach
TMO: Johann Meuwesen
Last meeting: 24 September 2011 in Johannesburg: Blue Bulls won 21-18

Sportingbet will give you 2/5 on the Bulls and 5/2 on the Lions The Bulls must be spitting the dummy big time after last weekend’s humiliation in Cape Town, and will be looking to make amends in front of their home supporters. Werner Kruger will take a lesson in scrumming from JC, but I think that might be the only battle the Lions win …

My prediction: Bulls by 9

Blue Bulls: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Francois Venter, 11 JJ Engelbrecht, 10 Louis Fouche, 9 Ruan Snyman, 8 Dewald Potgieter (captain), 7 CJ Stander, 6 Warwick Tecklenburg, 5 Grant Hattingh, 4 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Willie Wepener, 1 Dawie Steyn
Bench: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Frik Kirsten, 18 Cornell Hess, 19 Jean Cook, 20 Rudy Paige, 21 Lionel Cronje, 22 Jurgen Visser

Lions: 15. Andries Coetzee, 14.Deon Helberg, 13. Lionel Mapoe, 12. Alwyn Hollenbach, 11. Ruan Combrinck, 10. Elton Jantjies, 9. Michael Bondesio, 8. Warren Whiteley, 7. Willie Britz, 6. Cobus Grobbelaar, 5. Franco van der Merwe, 4. Hendrik Roodt, 3. Jacobie Adriaanse, 2. Callie Visagie, 1. JC Janse van Rensburg (captain)
Bench: 16. Bandise Maku, 17. CJ van der Linde, 18. Michael Rhodes, 19. Jaco Kriel, 20. Ross Cronjé, 21. Butch James, 22. Jaco Taute

 
19:10 Cheetahs vs Western Province, Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan
Assistants: Joey Salmans, Francois Groenewald
TMO: Gerrie Coetzee
Last meeting: 24 September 2011 in Cape Town: Cheetahs won 34-20

Sportingbet will give you 11/10 on the Cheetahs and 5/6 on WP … Meaning the punters actually have no idea how this is going to go, so are going with the home side … WP were astonishingly good last week, and I am convinced that they will try the same game plan against the Cheetahs – long may they continue to do so. But this type of game is the Cheetah’s meat and two veg, while WP are still getting used to playing rugby again. It could make for one of the best games of the year!
My prediction: Cheetahs by 5

Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Nico Scheepers, 13 Robert Ebersohn (c), 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Davon Raubenheimer, 7 Lappies Labuschagne, 6 Heinrich Brussow, 5 Izak van der Westhuizen, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Marcel van der Merwe, 2 Hercu Liebenberg, 1 Schalk van der Merwe
Bench: 16 Elandre Huggett, 17 Ross Geldenhuys, 18 Waltie Vermeulen, 19 Hendro Scholtz, 20 Tewis de Bruyn, 21 Phillip Snyman, 22 Rayno Benjamin

WP: 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 JP du Plessis, 12 Marcel Brache, 11 Damian de Allende, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Jebb Sinclair, 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Deon Fourie (captain), 5 De Kock Steenkamp, 4 Don Armand, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 1 Deon Carstens
Bench: 16 Steven Kitshoff, 17 Frans Malherbe, 18 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 19 Helmut Lehmann, 20 Louis Schreuder, 21 Patrick Howard, 22 Kurt Coleman

Currie Cup 1^st division:
Friday
19:00 SWD vs Leopards
19:10 Border vs Eastern Province
Saturday
15:00 Valke vs Pumas
15:00 Griffons vs Boland

U21’s:
Friday
17:05 – Border vs Leopards
17:15 – SWD vs Griquas
Saturday
12:40 – Valke vs Pumas
13:40 – Griffons vs Boland
16:45 – Free State vs Sharks
17:00 – Lions vs Blue Bulls